


Home

by TD2



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25629529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TD2/pseuds/TD2
Summary: (Lars reuniting with his parents after his return from space. )The plain, empty living room that greeted him was almost anti-climatic, but Lar's let out a shaky laugh at how achingly familiar it was. Everything looked exactly the same, not a thing out of place, except him.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23





	Home

Lars's eyes darted around the crowded beach, scanning for the familiar faces of his parents. It looked like everyone in Beach City was there, so surely they must be too. Except, they hadn't come to greet him when he got off the ship. Why wouldn't they...

Something in his expression must have given away his sudden insecurity because Sadie's hand came up to grip his arm gently.

"They aren't here."

His eyes met hers questioningly, and Sadie gave him a small, sad smile in return.

"I don't see them out much," she informed him gently. "They've been really worried about you."

Worried. Of course.

His heart twisted in his chest as he thought about them both at home, worrying and wondering when he'd return or if he was okay. Of course, his parents would not be out at a concert celebrating. They weren't here, and they didn't know that _he_ was here either.

"I...I need to go." 

Sadie gave his arm one last reassuring squeeze and nodded in understanding. Lars barely had the presence of mind to stutter out an "I'll call you later" before he was running in the direction of his house, cape billowing behind him dramatically.

Lars was sure he'd ever run so fast in his life, and he'd done his fair share of running; From robonoids, from homeworld, from Emerald, and that had only been in the last month or so. This was different. This time, he was running _toward_ something. In no time at all, he was standing in front of the door to his house. 

He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, breathing heavily despite his still deceptively slow pulse. With trembling hands, he opened the door.

The plain, empty living room that greeted him was almost anti-climatic, but Lar's let out a shaky laugh at how achingly familiar it was. Everything looked exactly the same, not a thing out of place, except him. 

"Honey, is that you?" 

His mother's casual voice drifted from the kitchen, and he was sure from her tone that she was not expecting him, but his father instead. 

"I thought you-"

Her voice cut off with a sudden gasp as she stood in the doorway, eyes wide. She brought shaky hands up to cover her mouth, and tears gathered behind the frames of her glasses.

His own eyes burned suddenly, but he managed a shaky grin.

"Hey, mom."

Whatever had kept his mother rooted in the doorway suddenly vanished, and Lars found himself engulfed in a hug that he would have found suffocating in the past. The stinging in his eyes finally gave way to tears, and he brought his arms around his mother and held on just as tightly. 

"Oh Laramie," she sobbed, shoulders shaking now, hands clutching desperately in the fabric of his cape. "Your father and I..we...I thought-"

"It's okay, Mom." He tried to reassure her, even as his throat began to close up. "Please don't cry."

He rubbed her back with his gloved hands to soothe her distress, and slowly her sobs turned to sniffles. After what felt like an eternity, his mother pulled back, studying him with teary eyes. Lars felt suddenly, inexplicably, nervous. He knew he looked different than how she remembered (had Steven even told them that he was pink?). His arms fell numbly at his sides, and he clenched his fists repeatedly. 

The woman brought a hand up to lay against the right side of his face, her thumb gently gliding over the scar under his eye. 

"Oh, sweetie," she whispered, her voice so tremendously concerned. "What happened to you?"

Lars swallowed.

"I, uh..."

The sound of the door opening behind him drew both their attention. Much like his mom before, his dad stood frozen in the doorway. 

"You're home." His dads' voice was hushed and almost disbelieving.

The suitcase he'd been holding fell from loose fingers to the floor, and before Lars could so much as offer up a smile, his dad had rushed forward and hugged him as well.

The force of his impact almost sent Lars off-balance, but he stood his ground, returning the embrace with equal enthusiasm. His dad, being so much short than him, practically had his head burrowed into Lars's chest. 

"You're home!" He repeated with more excitement, letting out a laugh that teetered on the edge of crying.

"Yeah, dad." Lars tried to reassure him, although his voice came out shaky. "I'm Home."

They hugged for another moment before his dad pulled back, hands braced on Lars's shoulders.

"And you're pink!" He exclaimed as if he'd only just taken notice.

Lars laughed even as he brought a hand up to wipe away tears. When did he turn into such a sap? 

"Heh, yeah." He smiled nervously. "It's, um, kinda a long story."

And not a happy one either.

His parents exchanged a brief look, and Lars started to think that maybe Steven had told them at least some of the reason behind his new appearance.

"let's not worry about that now." his mom spoke up, surprising him.

"R-really?"

She smiled gently at him.

"We're just so glad you're home, sweetie."

"We've missed you." His dad added.

"I..I missed you guys too."

He had, he _really_ had. Now more than ever, Lars realized how much he had taken them for granted. They were always so kind, always so supportive and understanding and ...and he'd been such a failure as a son. He'd been rude, and ungrateful, and disrespectful and..and..

"I...I'm so sorry." he choked out, throat suddenly feeling clogged. "I'm sorry."

His parents sported matching expressions of confusion and concern. 

"Sweetie, it's okay." his mother soothed, stepping forward to cup his face again. "What happened wasn't your fault."

"Your mother's right, son."

They didn't even realize what he was apologizing _for._

"That's not why I'm sorry," he stated, bringing his gloved hand up to lay over hers. "I'm sorry that...that I was such a lousy son before."

His parents looked shocked at his words.

"Son that's not-"

"It's true." he interrupted his dad, eyes cast to floor as he pulled away from his mother's touch. "You guys are like...like the best parents anyone could ask for and I...I just ...ugh, I was such a jerk."

He somehow found the courage to look up at them.

"But I promise I'm going to do better." he declared, shoulders squared and chin held high. "I swear I'll be the kind of son you can be proud of."

"Laramie..." 

His mother stepped forward to embrace him once more, and his father joined in. Lars had never had so many hugs in one day before, and honestly...he'd never felt like he needed them more.

"We're already proud of you, son." 

His father's words brought tears to his eyes once again.

"It doesn't matter what you do, or say, or even what color you change in to." his mother went on. "We've always been proud, and we'll always be proud."

Tears streamed down his pink cheeks, and he suddenly started sobbing, letting his weight fall forward until he was on his knees with both his parents still surrounding him with their arms. Home, and safe, and loved. 

"We love you, Lars."

"L-love you guys too."

He sniffed and pulled away, wiping furiously at the tears on his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Jesus, I'm a mess," he said, letting out a watery laugh. "Promise you won't tell anyone I cried like a freaking baby."

When he looked back up at his parents, he was surprised to see tear-stained faces looking back, soft smiles on their faces.

"Your secrets safe with us," his dad promised.

"Well then," his mother picked herself up, injecting cheer into her voice. "how about we all get off the floor and...and have dinner together."

"Dinner?" 

Lars had to think back to when he'd last eaten or when he'd last felt hungry. His belly hadn't growled once since...since he'd turned pink. In space, he'd hardly thought about food at all.

His father's face lit up.

"What a wonderful idea." he grinned as he pulled himself and Lars to their feet, "How's that sound to you, son?"

"You must be starving." his mother said, "I can fix all your favorites."

Lars felt the tension drain from his muscles, his mouth twitched up into a smile.

"It sounds great."

And it really did. Even if Lars didn't feel hungry, or even need to eat. Just sitting at the table with his parents for dinner sounded like the best thing in the world. It sounded so...normal. He wanted that, he realized suddenly, he wanted just to feel normal again. 

"But only if you let me help you cook." 

"Deal." His mother beamed, "Now go take those gloves off and wash your hands' young man. Oh, and no capes at the table."

Lars laughed.

He was home.


End file.
